$BAND

SanDisk (SNDK), with SK hynix (SKHY), unveiled the first High Bandwidth Flash (HBF) standard using the UCIe interface, targeting 0.4 TB/s to 3.0 TB/s bandwidth and up to 512 GB capacity. The consortium plans to drive adoption with Alphabet (GOOG/GOOGL) and Tenstorrent. The article cites SanDisk’s Apr. 30 Q3 results and bullish analyst targets.

SK Hynix and SanDisk published the first High Bandwidth Flash (HBF) technical specification via the Open Compute Project. It targets up to 512GB stacks with three bandwidth grades around 0.4TB/s to 3.0TB/s using UCIe, with consortium partners including Google and Tenstorrent. Samples are expected in 2H 2026 and AI inference devices in early 2027, with commercialization later.

Samsung says it has developed a new 3D memory architecture for AI chips, moving from flat to vertical integration by stacking HBM on top of AI accelerators. Samsung’s concepts, zHBM and zNAND-O, are described as having 400-plus layers. Samsung claims zHBM can deliver over 10x HBM5 memory density, triple energy efficiency, and cut thermal resistance by more than half.

Bandwidth reported Q2 revenue of $219.9M, up 22.2% year over year and slightly above estimates, with adjusted EPS of $0.37 and adjusted EBITDA of $27.77M. It raised full-year revenue guidance to $905M midpoint but lowered adjusted EPS to $1.75. Management cited AI-enabled voice and messaging demand; guidance and margin stability drove a negative market reaction.

Elon Musk said AI, humanoid robots, and autonomous vehicles will greatly increase network bandwidth needs, citing Tesla’s Optimus as an example of future Starlink demand. SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell said earlier connectivity estimates may have been understated. SpaceX reported Q2 revenue of $7.81B, up 92% YoY, and shares rose then fell after results.

At FMS 2026, SanDisk and SK hynix released initial High Bandwidth Flash (HBF) standard specifications via the Open Compute Project, aiming to support AI inference by positioning HBF between HBM and SSDs. The spec targets up to 512GB capacity and 0.4 to 3.0TB/s bandwidth grades using UCIe. SK hynix also showcased its 375-layer V10 4D NAND, citing 2.5x performance-per-watt.

In Tuesday premarket trading, enterprise software and cybersecurity stocks rose broadly after Palantir (PLTR) reported strong Q2 results and raised its full-year revenue outlook, citing demand for its AIP. The move was reinforced by lower Treasury yields tied to reduced Middle East conflict risk. Shares of Bandwidth (BAND), Rapid7 (RPD), Atlassian (TEAM), RingCentral (RNG), and CrowdStrike (CRWD) gained.

SanDisk and SK Hynix, collaborating on the High Bandwidth Flash (HBF) memory standard, said the first HBF technical specification is now available via the Open Compute Project for data center makers to test. The spec covers system interfaces, electrical requirements, performance expectations, reliability, packaging, and a software guide. SanDisk says HBF can stack eight layers for up to 4TB per chip, targeting AI inference power and bandwidth needs.

SK hynix and SanDisk, at the Future of Memory and Storage 2026 conference, released the first open technical specification for High-Bandwidth Flash (HBF) via the Open Compute Project. The spec, developed with partners including Google DeepMind and Tenstorrent, targets AI bottlenecks by using near-memory 3D/4D NAND with a UCIe interface. It defines Grade 1-3 bandwidth tiers of about 400GB/s to 3TB/s.

SanDisk and SK hynix introduced the High Bandwidth Flash (HBF) specification, developed jointly and released via the Open Compute Project as an open standard. Initial HBF packages target up to 512GB using 8-Hi or 16-Hi NAND stacks, with bandwidth grades around 0.4 to 3.0 TB/s, and integration via UCIe or an xPU-HBF interface. The spec is not yet officially published by OCP.